The City of Revere announced the settlement of the eminent domain litigation arising from the City’s taking of the former Wonderland Greyhound Park last week.
The case, which had been pending in Suffolk Superior Court for over three years, settled on the eve of trial. The City originally paid $29 million for the property in November 2022. Following litigation, the City will pay Wonderland’s former owner an additional $16.5 million for the property, resolving the former owner’s claim that they were owed $117 million, and bringing the City’s total cost for the property to $45.5 million.
The negotiated settlement amount, less than 40% of the former owner’s demand, reflects the strength of the City’s litigation position throughout the case. Represented by Foley Hoag LLP and the Law Offices of John S. Leonard LLC, the City prevailed on several key pre-trial motions that substantially narrowed the owner’s case heading into trial, according to Revere officials.They said the settlement will be paid from funds budgeted and available for the City’s high school construction project.
“This is a strong result for the taxpayers of Revere,” said Mayor Patrick M. Keefe Jr. “We were confident in our case, but no responsible city government should gamble tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on the unpredictability of a jury verdict when a fair resolution is on the table. This settlement both protects our taxpayers and allows us to move forward with the ongoing construction of the new Revere High School. That is what this has always been about: giving our kids the school they deserve.”
The favorable settlement also allowed the City to avoid the substantial expense of a multi-week jury trial, including attorney fees, expert witness costs, and the diversion of city resources, according to Revere officials. With the litigation behind it, the City can devote its full attention to construction at the Wonderland site, they added, stating that the new Revere High School will serve as a cornerstone investment in the city’s future, providing modern educational facilities for generations of Revere students.
City Council President Anthony Zambuto voted against the $493 million bond authorization for the new high school project at Wonderland in 2024, and still believes it’s the biggest fiscal mistake in the history of the city.
Zambuto was consistent in promoting the current high school site over the Wonderland property, citing the potential cost of the eminent domain land taking, as well as up to the loss of a potential $1 billion-plus in tax revenue over the next 50 years at the Wonderland site from private development.
However, Zambuto said the settlement of the current eminent domain case was a good deal for Revere at this point in time.
“I commend them for a good settlement and not going to court because it could have been as much as $75 million for the land if it went to court,” said Zambuto. “I was satisfied with the settlement, but they still took $1.2 billion off the tax rolls. What could have gone there could have paid for the high school if the high school was put where it should have been put at the original site.”